Scorched by Darkness

by Alexandra Ivy

  He covered her hand with his own, turning his head so he could press his lips to the center of her palm.

  “Thank the goddess. You’re stuck with me for a very long time.” He paused, his lips twitching. “There aren’t any circus acts, are there?”

  Her laughter rang through the air, a sound that resonated deep within him like the striking of a bell.

  Yep. Nirvana.

  “Not one,” she assured him, her thumb brushing the line of his jaw. “I promise it’s a very simple ceremony where the elders bless our union and my mother offers a vision of our future—”

  He abruptly interrupted her soft words. “No.”

  She studied him in confusion. “No?”

  He shook his head. As happy as he was that Kai’s initial vision had prompted Synge to insist that Rya become his mate, it had also swayed the way he’d approached his life. And not in a good way.

  “Visions never turn out like you imagine they will,” he muttered, bending his head down so he could brush his lips over her furrowed brow. “Besides, I don’t need magic to know what our future holds.”

  Her fingers trailed down the side of his neck. “What’s that?”

  “An eternity of happiness.”

  “Mmm.” She stirred against him. “I’ll take that.”

  He skimmed his hand down her naked back. He loved feeling the betrothal tattoo that was spread across her skin. Just as he loved the glint of gold from the delicate dragon marque that hung around her neck.

  A primitive male need to lay claim to his mate?

  Damn straight.

  And he wasn’t even a little ashamed.

  He cleared his throat, trying to look casual. “And perhaps a hatchling or two.”

  Rya froze, as if shocked by his words. “You want children?”

  “I never thought about it until now,” he said with blunt honesty. Warriors rarely mated, let alone had families. It was a distraction that could get them killed. Now he was far more interested in an existence that included more than killing things. “But I’m suddenly anxious to hold a tiny daughter with amber eyes in my arms.”

  An unexpected yearning rippled over her face. As if she’d suddenly been struck with a maternal urge.

  “Or a little boy who is always serious and loyal and as gorgeous as his father,” Rya suggested.

  He kissed the tip of her nose. Her words didn’t scare him at all.

  Hell, he’d be happy if she wanted a dozen children.

  “Maybe one of each to start with,” he murmured.

  Her hands smoothed over his shoulders, her foot brushing down his calf.

  “First we’ll need a lair of our own.”

  Torque shuddered at the light caress. How the hell was he supposed to think when his mind was filled with wicked images of having Rya flat on her back with his cock pressed deep inside her?

  “We could use mine,” he at last managed to offer, pressing a kiss to her lips that instantly parted in horror. Okay. He was beginning to understand why everyone thought his rooms were…barren. Certainly they didn’t have the same sort of gracious comfort that Rya’s offered. “Before you say no, I promise you’ll be given full authority to decorate it however you want,” he assured her.

  She pulled back to study him with a curious expression. “Do you intend to remain in Baine’s service?”

  He considered for a long minute. A part of him wanted to take this female and disappear where no one could ever find them. But he knew that wasn’t possible.

  Not only did he truly enjoy his role as Baine’s guard, but he knew there was no place in this world, or any other, that was safer than Baine’s lair.

  Nothing and no one could get in.

  “I’ll admit that I will feel safer if we are living within the magical protection of a full-blooded dragon,” he told her. “Especially if we have children. Besides, you’ll have a fey near when you decide you’re tired of my company and want to socialize with another female.”

  “Who?” It took a second before her confusion cleared. “Oh, you mean Baine’s mate.”

  He nodded. “I think you’ll like Tayla. She’s very…” He searched for a word to describe the lovely, effervescent imp who Baine had chosen as his mate. “Feyish.”

  “Hey.” She pressed her hands against his chest, her eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He smiled. His inner dragon was certainly addicted to her passionate beast, and the fire they created between them. But there was a large part of him that enjoyed the sparkling fey side of her nature.

  “Flighty, charming, and enjoys talking. A lot,” he said. There were times when he wondered if the chatty imp was ever quiet. “You’ll never feel lonely when she’s around.”

  “I’m not flighty,” she protested, although she couldn’t hide the twitch of her lips.

  He continued to stroke his hand over her back, savoring the growing sense of intimacy being woven between them.

  There was a glorious joy in lying next to his female and discussing their future together.

  “Not always,” he admitted. “When we met for our betrothal ceremony you were very zen.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “My mother’s training. She was afraid I hadn’t entirely grown out of my…feisty stage.”

  “Feisty stage? I’m afraid to ask,” Torque murmured, not entirely teasing.

  While his first impression of Rya might have been one of a calm, passive creature, he’d swiftly learned that beneath her façade was an impulsive, loving, courageous female who didn’t understand the word ‘fear.’

  “I wasn’t that bad,” she retorted. “Like any child, I enjoyed playing pranks on my father’s servants. They were usually forgiving.” She released a rueful chuckle. “Except for the time when I used my shadow to slip into the war room when my father was planning an attack on another dragon. Things got a bit testy when I was spotted.”

  “Good god,” he muttered. “You were lucky you weren’t thrown in the dungeons.”

  She gave a small shrug, revealing her confidence in her father’s love. Synge would have destroyed anyone else who had dared to spy on his war council.

  “That’s when my mother began to train me in controlling my powers,” she said. “Along with my emotions.”

  “When you’re with me you don’t ever have to control your emotions,” he murmured, his voice husky as he allowed his hand to trace the lush curve of her ass. “I like when you’re feisty.”

  She snorted, even as her eyes darkened with a ready passion. “Not always.”

  “True.” He traced her lower lip with the tip of his tongue before giving it a small nip. “Not when you’re putting yourself in danger.”

  Without warning she stiffened, almost as if his words had touched a nerve.

  “Speaking of putting myself in danger, there’s something I need to tell you,” she muttered in a strained voice.

  Torque lifted his head. Was she teasing him?

  On the point of demanding an explanation, Torque was distracted by a voice that echoed sharply through his brain.

  He didn’t have the gargoyle’s telepathic powers, but all of Baine’s guards were capable of mental communications. And at the moment, Char was impatiently demanding his attention.

  “Hold that thought,” he murmured, pressing a frustrated kiss to her lips before reluctantly crawling out of bed.

  Although Char couldn’t see him or Rya, it seemed creepy to talk to his fellow warrior while he was sprawled next to his naked female.

  Rya hastily wrapped the blanket around her slender body, watching as Torque pulled on his jeans and sweater.

  “What is it?” she demanded.

  “Char.” He grimaced and reached down to pull on his boots. “He’s arrived from Baine’s lair and is demanding to see me.” Once he was finished, he moved back to perch on the edge of the mattress. If he hadn’t been the one responsible for Char being ordered to Synge’s lair he would have ignored the summons.

  “A
h.” She forced a smile to her lips. “Then you have to go.”

  He reached to run his fingers through the tangled silk of her hair.

  “I don’t want to leave you.” He wasn’t ashamed to admit it.

  “It won’t be for long.”

  She was right about that. He intended to tell Char why he’d called for him, listen to him bitch, and then he was out of there.

  He gave her a last kiss. “Don’t move,” he commanded softly. “I intend to finish this as soon as I can get back.”

  “Torque,” she breathed as he rose to his feet.

  He glanced down at her with a lift of his brow. “Yes, my love?”

  “I…” She gave a shake of her head. “We’ll talk later.”

  He felt a brief stab of unease, but before he could determine what was bothering him, Char was once again demanding that he join him.

  With a sigh, he turned to leave the harem. He took a minute to speak with the guards, ensuring that no one was allowed to enter Rya’s rooms. Then, with long strides he hurried to join Char in Synge’s public chamber.

  The large room looked the same as when he left. Except it had thankfully been emptied of servants. Well, except for two uniformed guards who stood near the opening to Synge’s private quarters.

  At his entrance, Char turned with a narrowed gaze to watch him cross the floor.

  The half-breed dragon was currently dressed in black slacks and a crisp white shirt, his gray eyes darkened to smoke.

  Then, without warning, the older male was striding forward and wrapping his arms around Torque.

  “Damn, dude, I thought we’d lost you,” Char growled in rough tones.

  Astonished by his friend’s obvious concern, Torque returned the man-hug. “I tried to reach out to Baine, but the dragon’s magic blocked me.”

  “Don’t scare me like that again.”

  There was a shared moment of mutual relief that Torque had survived. Then, belatedly unnerved by his rare display of affection, Torque pushed Char away to send him a faux scowl.

  “Enough mushy stuff,” he commanded, his voice husky. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “As charming as ever, old friend,” Char drawled, his lips twitching.

  Torque folded his arms over his chest, well aware he wasn’t fooling his companion.

  “You interrupted my private time alone with my mate.”

  “And why would that bother you?” The eyebrow inched even higher. “When you left Baine’s lair you made it clear that the last thing you wanted was to be stuck with your betrothed. Surely you should be happy to get away from the female?”

  “Careful, old friend. Her name is Rya,” he growled, not entirely teasing. “And of course I don’t want to be parted from her.”

  Char folded his arms over his chest. “How was I supposed to know? You acted like you were being sent to your own funeral the last time I saw you.”

  Torque felt a burst of embarrassment. Did the male have to remind him that he’d behaved like an arrogant jerk?

  Thankfully, Rya was willing to forgive him for being an ass.

  “I’ve had the opportunity to truly discover Rya’s value,” he told his friend.

  “Her value?” Char rolled his eyes. “You mean her beauty?”

  “Her beauty.” Torque readily agreed. Of course he admired her lovely features and sexy body, but that wasn’t what made him desire her as his mate. “And more so, her courage. Her heart.” He smiled, just the thought of Rya making him happy. “They all combine to make her special.”

  Char recoiled, as if he’d been punched. “Hell. You’re as sappy as Baine,” he rasped.

  “There are worse things.”

  “Not as far as I’m concerned.”

  Torque shrugged. Unlike him, Char had always had a full, robust appreciation for the fairer sex. But he was adamant that it was his duty to spread his charm far and wide.

  More than once the male had claimed it would be a sin against nature for him to mate and deny the females of the world the opportunity to capture his attention.

  “That’s what you say now,” Torque murmured. It’d taken only a few hours for his entire world to be turned upside down.

  Char held up a hand. “Don’t curse me.”

  “Curses,” Torque muttered, suddenly reminded of why he’d asked for Char to be called to the lair. “That’s why you’re here.”

  Char looked confused. “Are you joking?”

  “Do I ever joke?”

  Char’s lips twisted. “Fine. What’s going on?”

  With a crisp efficiency, Torque gave a brief rundown of the past hours, including the revelation that Synge had a mate and a full-blooded daughter.

  Char furrowed his brow, taking several minutes to sort through the most pertinent parts of the story. “So she’s really cursed?”

  Torque shuddered. He was going to have nightmares about the dark pulses of energy that had surrounded the young dragon.

  “Yeah, she’s really cursed,” he muttered.

  “Great.” Char’s eyes swirled with thunderclouds. “And you want me to be trapped in time with her?”

  Torque frowned. He’d assumed Char could cast the spell and walk away.

  “All I know of your powers is that you can halt time,” he said.

  Char shook his head, his hand dropping. “I don’t actually halt it,” he said. “My powers can slow it for a limited time.”

  “And you have to be wrapped in the magic?”

  “The powers alter my place in time. With an effort I can spread it to include whoever is near me. Which means that the closer they are, the longer I can maintain the magic.”

  Torque grimaced with guilt. “Dammit. I shouldn’t have suggested that you help.” He reached out to put his hand on Char’s shoulders. The older male could be a pain in the ass, but he was like a brother to him. “I didn’t know it would put you in danger.”

  “As long as she’s unconscious I should be fine,” Char muttered.

  Was he trying to convince Torque or himself?

  Torque parted his lips to demand that Char return to Baine’s lair when there was a roar of scalding power and Synge stepped into the chamber.

  Too late.

  The older dragon scowled at the two of them. “Finally,” he snapped. “Follow me.”

  Pivoting on his heel, Synge was marching back into his private quarters, confident the two males would follow.

  Char and Torque were swiftly trailing behind him.

  Only an idiot ignored an order from a dragon.

  A dead idiot.

  “It’s nice to know not everyone has changed,” Char muttered in a low voice.

  Torque abruptly recalled Synge’s expression when he’d discovered his mate and daughter were alive. The brutish predator had revealed a shocking vulnerability. Not that he was about to share that particular revelation. Not when the old dragon might overhear him.

  He preferred not to have his flesh seared off his bones, thank you very much.

  “Actually, you might be surprised,” he instead breathed.

  Char sent him a curious glance before they were coming to an abrupt halt as Synge stopped in the middle of a doorway.

  Glancing over his shoulder, the dragon sent Char a warning glare.

  “We are about to enter the room of my daughter,” he growled. “She is precious beyond all measure and if something were to happen to her…”

  Char held up his hands in a gesture of peace. “I promise I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe.”

  The male gave a grudging nod before he turned to lead them into a room shaped like an octagon, with a domed ceiling that was covered with tiles made from pure gold. On the windows were lattice coverings and at one end of the marble floor a small fountain shimmered in the light from the numerous candelabras.

  In the far corner was a wide bed where a slender female was lying on a white satin cover. Her long black hair had been brushed until it glowed with an ebony luster and her ski
n had the sheen of a pearl in the candlelight.

  Moving to stand at the edge of the mattress Char glanced down, an odd, thunderstruck expression on his face.

  “Tell me what you need,” Synge commanded, his hands on his hips.

  “Need?” Char muttered, his gaze never leaving Blayze’s face that was softened with peace as she slept.

  The dragon scowled at him and Torque covertly kicked his friend in the shin.

  “Char,” he muttered.

  “Have you taken a blow to the head, or are you just slow?” Synge snapped, waiting for Char to send him a wary glance. “What do you need?”

  “Nothing,” Char muttered, still looking as if he’d seen a ghost. Could he sense Blayze’s curse? Being trapped with the evil sensation would be unnerving for anyone. “I mean…” Char stopped and cleared his voice. “I can spread my powers to include this room, but the door needs to remain locked to ensure the magic isn’t disturbed.”

  Synge clenched his hands. “How long can you keep the spell in place?”

  “A day,” Char said. “Maybe two.”

  “Do it,” Synge commanded before he was heading toward an opening on the opposite side of the room.

  Stepping forward, Torque studied his friend’s tense profile with a frown.

  There was definitely something off. But what?

  “Are you okay?” he at last demanded.

  “Yeah.” The male stepped closer to the bed, his hand reaching out as if he was battling an urge to touch the beautiful dragon female. “You need to go.”

  Torque hesitated. “Char—”

  “I got this,” Char snapped.

  “Are you sure?” Torque pressed, only to grimace in defeat when Char turned his head to glare at him with eyes as dark as thunderclouds.

  “Go.”

  “Okay, okay. Do your thing,” Torque muttered, backing toward the doorway. “Call me if you need me.”

  Char ignored him, his attention already centered back on Blayze.

  Leaving the room with a vague sense of concern, Torque entered the public chamber. Maybe he should contact Baine. The dragon considered Char more a friend than a servant. He would want to know if the male might be in danger.

  Torque’s lips twitched. It would also give Baine the opportunity to annoy his father. Pissing off Synge was something that gave the younger dragon great joy.